Albanian actress Arta Dobroshi talks about plight of refugees: “You Only Leave Because You Feel Death Is Near”

Once a refugee from Kosovo herself, Dobroshi told THR that she thinks people misunderstand why refugees are fleeing war-torn countries in search of a new home.

Arta Dobroshi, an actress from Kosovo who received critical acclaim for her role in Lorna’s Silence, was once a refugee, and she spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the current refugee crisis in the wake of President Trump’s recent immigration ban. A San Francisco federal appeals court is hearing arguments Tuesday about restoring the ban, which has been temporarily suspended.

Dobroshi explained that she doesn’t think people understand that refugees often don’t want to leave their home but feel forced.

“As a former refugee, I’ve lived in a war zone for half of my life,” said Dobroshi, speaking with THR from Kosovo, where she now resides. “What people don’t know is when you’re living in a war zone, the last thing you want to do is leave your country.” She continued, “You only leave because you feel that death is near, not because you want to go to another country.”